206 Arrested in L.A. area immigration sweep

ICE removal: 6 days, 50 states, 3,100 arrests

9:40 a.m. | By Lisa Brenner

ICE ERO arrested more than 3,100 convicted criminal aliens, fugitives and immigration violators in a six-day nationwide enforcement action. In this photo an ICE agent arrests a criminal alien after arrest in Los Angeles.

More than 200 "convicted criminal aliens and immigration fugitives" were arrested in the Southland during a nationwide, six-day, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) operation that captured over 3000 people in all 50 states, the agency announced today.

"The results of this targeted enforcement operation underscore ICE's ongoing commitment and focus on the arrest and removal of convicted criminal aliens and those that game our nation's immigration system," said ICE Director John Morton. "Because of the tireless efforts and teamwork of ICE officers and agents in tracking down criminal aliens and fugitives, there are 3,168 fewer criminal aliens and egregious immigration law violators in our neighborhoods across the country."

In the Los Angeles area, 206 individuals were taken into custody. 106 had prior convictions for serious or violent crimes. According to the agency, the Los Angeles area arrestees included:
■Veasna Uy, 34, a Cambodia national immigration fugitive residing in Long Beach, Calif., who was convicted in April 2000 of manslaughter, attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon. Uy remains in ICE custody pending removal from the United States
■A twice deported 53-year-old Mexican national residing in Bell, Calif., who has two prior convictions for possession of narcotics for sale, most recently in 2004. This individual is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's Office for felony re-entry after deportation. He has been turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending those criminal proceedings.
■A 42-year-old Salvadoran national residing in North Hollywood, Calif., who was convicted in 1994 of arson and sentenced to 365 days in jail. He is being held by ICE without bond pending a hearing before an immigration judge.

. . . Of the 206 people arrested in the Los Angeles area, 106 had convictions for serious or violent crimes. There were 124 arrests in Los Angeles County, 34 in Orange County, 15 in Riverside County, 14 in San Bernardino County, 10 in Ventura County and nine in Santa Barbara County.More than 70 of the local arrestees have already been removed from the country.

Among the Los Angeles area arrestees were:

•Veasna Uy, 34, a Cambodia national immigration fugitive living in Long Beach. Uy, who was convicted in April 2000 of manslaughter, attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon, remains in ICE custody pending removal from the country.

•A twice-deported 43-year-old Mexican national living in Bell who has two convictions for possession of narcotics for sale. He has been turned over to the U.S. Marshals Service pending prosecution on suspicion of felony re-entry after deportation.

A 42-year-old Salvadoran national living in North Hollywood who was convicted in 1994 of arson and sentenced to a year in jail. He was being held by ICE without bond pending a hearing before an immigration judge.